The Four Year Journey
Minds Matter’s mission to transform the lives of accomplished high school students from low-income families is met through an integrated four-year program. Follow Malcolm on his journey:
Freshman Year
Malcolm is recommended to Minds Matter by his guidance counselor in the spring of his freshman year. He submits an application and attends a Minds Matter admissions interview. A month later he is accepted to the Minds Matter program!
Sophomore Year
On a sunny September Saturday morning, Malcolm attends his first Minds Matter session. There he is introduced to his two new mentors that will guide him through the next 3 years to graduation and college meeting every Saturday during the school year. 
The following Saturday he meets his writing tutors. These volunteers provide a focused curriculum designed to help with grammar, vocabulary, and writing.
Guided by his team of mentors and teachers, Malcolm is excelling both at school and within the program. He has completed his first critical thinking series with the rest of his class and mentors. His series focused on public speaking and current events. His confidence is beginning to soar.
Malcolm is finishing up his college summer program applications. Minds Matter’s Summer Programs Team works closely with universities to secure scholarships for prestigious programs. At his college summer program, Malcolm will gain deeper academic and leadership skills, as well as get to know other high school students from across the United States.
Junior Year
After spending the summer at EXPLO at Yale University where he gained skills in leadership and studied behavioral neuroscience, Malcolm is ready to begin a new year energized. At the first session of Minds Matter, his mentors are eager to hear about his summer!
The focus of the curriculum increases in junior year. Malcolm now must study for the ACT. Along with his classmates, he takes part in TEACH tutoring.
During junior year, Minds Matter mentees are pushed to begin seriously considering their college options. With their mentors, students work through college criteria’s, specialized majors, school environments. All this research culminates with their second college visit.
Due to his good PSAT scores and well-written essays, Malcolm is accepted into his second summer program! In addition to classic summer classes at universities, there are also programs that allow him to travel abroad!
Malcolm begins his second summer program. This year he elects a program that allows him to go abroad. By attending a summer course in Argentina, his independence and perspective on the world is greatly broadened and his source material for college applications is enriched. All travel and tuition is funded by Minds Matter donors and our program partners.
Senior Year
The beginning of his senior year is fast paced. The senior program begins a month earlier to give students and mentors as much time as possible to compose excellent college applications before the deadlines and winter holidays. Everyone is pushing toward the goal of each student reaching their full potential by finding college options that match their interests and strengths. 
After college and financial aid applications are completed, the students and mentors continue to prepare for college. They attend college readiness sessions, focused on topics such as dorm life, community building, study skills, and note-taking,
College acceptance letters begin to trickle in. Malcolm receives several acceptances, which relieves some tension. However, he is waiting with baited breath for his top choice, Drexel University. When the acceptance comes with a financial aid package that keeps him out of debt, Malcolm and his mentors celebrate ecstatically!